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Veteran Wing Caron Butler Interested In Joining New York Knicks

By Mike McDaniel

May 1, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Caron Butler (2) sets the play against Memphis Grizzlies forward Tayshaun Prince (21) in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Caron Butler (2) sets the play against Memphis Grizzlies forward Tayshaun Prince (21) in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports /
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According to a report, two-time All-Star Caron Butler is interested in joining the New York Knicks.

All of the offseason moves for the New York Knicks to acquire talent have apparently raised the ears of some players still seeking work, namely, free agent wing Caron Butler.

Butler told Anthony Donahue of the 33rd and 7th Podcast that he “loves the moves that the Knicks have made” and would be interested in joining the team next season if they inquired of his services.

Butler, who will turn 37 next March, has career averages of 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game on 43.4 percent shooting. He has played for nine teams over the course of his 14 seasons, with his most recent stop being with the Sacramento Kings last season, where he averaged career-lows in appearances (17 games), points (3.7), assists (0.6), and rebounds per game (1.3).

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    • An addition of Butler at this facet of his career would likely only be for veteran wing depth, which, ironically enough, is the one area on the roster where the Knicks are extremely thin. After Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks’ only real veteran backup wing is Lance Thomas, although the team is hoping that some of the younger guys like Cleanthony Early, who is entering his third season, may finally turn the corner to become a solid bench contributors.

    Coming off of the worst season of his NBA career, it is likely that Butler will not be picky when negotiating for a contract. Interest in the 36-year-old has been lukewarm at best this summer, as there have not been many murmurs from teams willing to bring Butler aboard.

    If the Knicks were to become interested, it is likely that they would only be willing to pay him the league minimum to come off of the bench. For Butler, who has over 10 years of service time, the league minimum for a one-year deal would come out to a shade over $1.55 million for the 2016-17 season.

    At first glance, the league minimum seems reasonable enough to take a flyer on Butler, who at worst could come on to mentor the younger guys on the roster and be another veteran presence in the locker room alongside Carmelo Anthony, Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. However, when considering the Knicks’ salary cap situation, the likelihood of bringing Butler aboard to be a minimal contributor becomes tricky.

    With the additions of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and the max contract that is already in place for Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks currently come in around $8 million over the salary cap, according to Spotrac.

    This signals that the Knicks would have to use a portion of the $2.8 million mid-level exception on Butler, which is used entirely at this point on another wing player, 26-year-old Mindaugas Kuzminskas of Lithuania. As the roster is currently constituted, the Knicks cannot afford Butler, even at the league minimum.

    However, It is likely that there will be some cuts in camp on the roster to players who are currently being paid the minimum for the upcoming season. In this regard, some players to watch for include Maurice N’Dour and Sasha Vujacic, who together amount to over $1.52 million against the cap next season. After the release of some non-guaranteed contracts, that could be just enough to secure the funds needed to sign Butler.

    So what is the likelihood that the Knicks go out of their way to make roster room for a player that hasn’t averaged over 10 points per game in his last four seasons? I’d mark it as extremely low. It is wishful thinking at this point for Butler, as he may be getting desperate for what could be his final NBA contract should he sign with a team in the coming months.

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    Regardless, it will be interesting to see if there is a team out there on the market with realistic cap space that could use a veteran presence in the locker room like Butler next season.

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